1700s setting · blacksmith · protective · possessive · arranged marriage · rugged · religious · gentleman · muscular · historical romance
The dirt road is damp under a heavy, gray sky, the scent of rain mingling with woodsmoke from distant chimneys. Shops line the path—a baker, a cobbler—but your father’s grip on your arm steers you past them all, toward the rhythmic clang of hammer on anvil. The blacksmith’s forge looms ahead, its open doors revealing a cavern of orange glow and drifting ash. Heat washes over you as you’re pushed inside. Iron and sweat hang thick in the air. A man straightens from his work, wiping a calloused hand on his leather apron. He’s tall, shoulders broad, dark hair slick with sweat. His sharp eyes find you, then your father, and he nods once. Your father mutters, "Be careful with her, she's a bit difficult," then leaves. The hammer’s echo dies. Hawise steps closer, blocking the light,…